Ingressing into enemy territory while lasing bombs, otherwise TPOD gets masked

[eFirehawk]

Hi everyone,

In order to keep lasing the target after tossing a bomb, I have to keep ingressing into enemy territory. If I turn more than 30 degrees or so to either side, the TPOD gets masked by the stores a few seconds before impact, thereby ruining the shot. Any tips on how to deal with this? Any 'safer' way to keep lasing the bombs other than cranking just a few degrees?

This is obviously more severe in cloudy missions that force me to stay under clouds in order to keep the laser effective.

[LazyBoot]

2 hours ago, eFirehawk said:

Hi everyone,

In order to keep lasing the target after tossing a bomb, I have to keep ingressing into enemy territory. If I turn more than 30 degrees or so to either side, the TPOD gets masked by the stores a few seconds before impact, thereby ruining the shot. Any tips on how to deal with this? Any 'safer' way to keep lasing the bombs other than cranking just a few degrees?

This is obviously more severe in cloudy missions that force me to stay under clouds in order to keep the laser effective.

Do you normally turn left or right after releasing the weapon?

[Nealius]

2 hours ago, LazyBoot said:

Do you normally turn left or right after releasing the weapon?

Not OP, but I've been trying the designator turn technique where I turn right, then settle into a left orbit for lasing. My ability to offset sufficiently with the right turn before the designator turn is limited by the TPOD's tendency to drift off the target whenever I bank, despite being in Area Track. This results in impact being mere seconds before the TPOD starts masking. 

[Ignition]

if you move the tgp after designate, it will stay fix even if you bank.

I turn hard right 30-40 degrees after droping the bomb and then keep the tgp in the 9-7 o clock, no masking no problems.

Edited July 16, 2023 by Ignition

[Mistermann]

See how Natso handles this

 

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

Hmm.. not quite what I expected, still some masking at the end and seeing the explosion through half a screen. Seems it's by design/inherent limitations which is a bit of a bummer cos this is what the mudhen does best and we will be seeing a lot of this masking and can't enjoy seeing the 'fireworks'. Will there be a future tpod coming (litening or sniper? can't remember which) that does not mask as easily? I recall the other modules like the F18/16, the tpods did not mask as much. 

Update: Probably not tactical but if you drop speed and climb so the little box in the TPOD does not go too far behind the target, it won't mask on impact.

Edited July 18, 2023 by GrEaSeLiTeNiN

[Nealius]

I can't even get the crosshairs to act as advertised in the video. When I try to sweeten up the crosshairs during lasing they suddenly fly miles off into the distance.

Edited July 17, 2023 by Nealius

[WizzRD]

On 7/17/2023 at 10:06 AM, GrEaSeLiTeNiN said:

Update: Probably not tactical but if you drop speed and climb so the little box in the TPOD does not go too far behind the target, it won't mask on impact.

Try 480 kts TAS, altitude whatever you fancy. After dropping turn left/ right 30-40° then ease your turn to about 10°. Keep the plane in a bank turn while lasing. Right turn has a few seconds to spare after impact, left turn is tight, but works too.

 

[GrEaSeLiTeNiN]

7 minutes ago, WizzRD said:

Try 480 kts TAS, altitude whatever you fancy. After dropping turn left/ right 30-40° then ease your turn to about 10°. Keep the plane in a bank turn while lasing. Right turn has a few seconds to spare after impact, left turn is tight, but works too.

 

Thanks. I know about the turns but was trying to avoid the masking post impact, for video recording Instagram purposes, lol

[Bosun]

Is this LANTIRN pod the same as the 14's pod, or is it a different model? 

I've noticed a significant difference in it's ability to stay put on one spot, even in designate.  Turning at all, designate or no, shifts it quite a bit. 

I've also noticed it 'masks' well earlier in pivot than the 14s. Not from the airframe, but from the physical limits of the pod, itself. 

If stores or ordnance were masking it, I'd actually understand more, but this appears to be the pod itself hitting it's physical rotational limit sooner.  If it is the same pod as the 14, what is the reason it has less traverse and rotational range?